At the end of the gig last night, I was told by a fellow band member that by listening to me he always knew where he was in the music. It’s a nice compliment. It’s also my job – at least that’s how I look at it.
With a 10-piece big band playing some very hard arrangements, it’s not easy to always “hear” where you are in the tune. I try to lay down the groove and help “mark” the sections for everyone. It takes quite a bit of concentration, counting, and listening to the entire band. One thing is clear – if I know where I am in the music, I can help the entire band. By doing this, the music seems to come alive – people seem more able to relax and have fun.
The one thing that can really help is keeping eye contact with the brass section, in particular. If the lead trumpet player and I are together, then the band will follow. We need to communicate and be on the same page (no pun intended). Not only do we need to be at the same place in the music, but we need to agree on the phrasing – we need to play together. Phrasing is a subject on which I would like to spend more time at a later date.
I love my job and I’m grateful that I get opportunities to share that with others – other musicians in the band and others in the audience!
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